


Never Alone

by serafinabellasera



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28474938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serafinabellasera/pseuds/serafinabellasera
Summary: After Riley takes a bullet meant for Mac, they must work through their issues and emotions as their bond is tested.
Relationships: Riley Davis & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Riley Davis/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The worst thing he can imagine happens, leaving Mac unsure of how to respond to the depth of feelings that bubble up in him as a result of Riley getting shot.

The team tracked Murdoc to yet another junkyard. What is it about junkyards that the team always finds Murdock skulking around in? 

MacGyver is trailing behind Riley as the team is spread out carefully searching the area. 

Riley turns the corner of the junkyard watching her computer track Murdoc’s phone when it stops. She scans the scene and sees a red dot pointed at Mac’s heart and panics. Next thing she hears is a gunshot.

“Mac!!!” She screams as she runs towards him. She expects to see him crumple in front of her, only to feel a burning pain in her shoulder.

She falls to her knees, clutching her shoulder, causing her to laptop clatter to the ground. 

Hearing the sound of her voice, Mac turns towards her as he watches her get hit in the shoulder with a bullet meant for him. Mac yells out “No! No! No! Riles!!! You hang in there you hear me? I’m not losing you too,” As he’s rushing over to help her with her wound. 

Tears and a whimper slip out as she reacts to Mac picking her up and moving her out of the sniper rifle’s line of sight. He accidentally jars the area where the bullet is lodged resulting in a sharp yelp of pain from Riley. 

“Matty! I need an ambulance right now at the junkyard! Riley’s been shot!” Mac screams into his comm. 

“On it.” A few moments later, Matty responds, “We’ve got one on the way to you Mac. It’s 5 minutes away.”

“Hurry! She’s fading fast from the blood loss. I’m going to try and close the wound to keep her from bleeding out!”

“Mac...” Riley slurs, “don’t leave me. There’s still so much I need to say to you... don’t forget that I love you Angus MacGyver,” as she struggles to remain conscious.

“Never.”

Mac quickly whips up the tools he needs to cauterize the wound. Taking her hand he tells her to squeeze as hard as she needs to when he cauterizes the wound. He warns her it’s going to really hurt. She screams and almost breaks his hand before passing out from the pain as he cauterized her wound.

Mac, with tears streaming down his face, takes her in his arms, cradling her gently to his chest, as he waits for the rest of the team and ambulance to show up. He starts whispering brokenly in her ear.

“You can’t leave me, Riles. You promised me I’d never be alone. Don’t you dare break that promise you hear me? I can’t lose you too. I’m so sick and tired of the ones I love leaving me. Please say with me Riles... I love you.”

Desi arrives just in time to see and hear Mac tell Riley he loves her and it hits her. One of the reasons she and Mac haven’t been able to make their relationship work is the fact that the level of trust and bond she sees in Mac and Riley’s relationship, is so much deeper than her own relationship with Mac. 

Yeah they have fun in the heat of the moment when the adrenaline is pumping, but they’ve never had that deep, intimate connection and probably never will. Mac already has that with Riley. She gets him in ways Desi never could and to be honest, Desi isn’t sure she really wants to form that kind of bond with Mac. Their interests are like oil and water, which only creates more tension in their fraught relationship. They lack the kind of foundation that is needed to make their relationship work and neither one of them seems willing to compromise and work on resolving their issues. 

It’s time for her to end this relationship once and for all. Maybe then they can begin to rebuild the trust issues that have plagued their relationship as friends and co-workers, instead of as romantic partners.

Russ arrives moments later letting Mac know Murdoc got away. At the moment Mac could care less about Murdoc. The only person that matters is in his arms fighting for her life. 

The ambulance pulls up and Mac carries Riley over to them as they lay her on the stretcher. They load her in the ambulance and Mac gets in with them. He is not leaving her alone.

Russ and Desi try to talk him out of it, but he refuses to listen. 

When they arrive at the hospital, they rush Riley into surgery, leaving a drained MacGyver feeling lost. He takes a seat in the waiting room unsure of what to do. His mind is in overdrive. 

He wonders what else Riley has to say to him. Having her tell him she loves him is both exhilarating and frightening. He’s had deep feelings for Riley for a while now, but the timing was always off. When he was ready to explore the possibility of a relationship with Riley she wasn’t available and vice versa. Overhearing her break up with Billy and the bonding moment they had hugging in his kitchen was his first real awareness that the affection and trust he felt for her might be something deeper than just being friends.

But then the whole mess with the Phoenix getting shut down and his relationship with Desi happened distracting him from the burgeoning feelings he had for Riley. With the Phoenix foundation closing, he no longer had the opportunity to see Riley daily. 

The whole team kind of drifted apart. Bozer opposed his choice to date Desi, warning him their volatile behavioral patterns were toxic and would end badly. That lead to a fight between the best friends. As a result, Bozer moved out and decided to pursue his love of making movies. 

Riley withdrew from him as well. Maybe it was because of his relationship with Desi, but he wasn’t sure since they never talked about it. 

After he and Desi broke up the first time, he thought about reaching out to Riley, but thought better of it. No need to embroil her in his mess. He needed to clear his head and figure out what he was going to do now that the Phoenix wasn’t an option.

A year and a half went by without a whole lot of communication, except the occasional phone call and text message. They talked about superficial things, nothing all that meaningful. It wasn’t until Russ Taylor came looking for his help that he finally had the courage to reach out and find Riley. 

The fact that she was the first person he went to when reassembling the team should have been his first hint that the deeper feelings that he thought he’d buried in the last 18 months were still alive and kicking. 

When he walked into that computer repair shop and saw Riley again, that deep warmth and affection he has for Riley bubbled up to the surface. He missed her. Everything about her. Her smile. Her energy. Her wicked smart brain that kept him on his toes and kept him safe. 

They are hackers, cut from the same kind cloth. She with her computers and he with everything else. He thinks back over the last 7 years he’s known Riley and savors those brief moments that created their deep connection. Her guiding him through what it’s like in prison and being there for him when he got out. The bomb in Paris. Getting trapped in a freezer. Scaring the crap out of Bozer at Halloween. The Alonzo Rivera wedding fiasco. Her starting her own fire in wilderness survival training. Bonding by eating bad pizza and skeeball after losing Jack to a covert op. The bomb in Germany. Playing newlyweds that didn’t really feel like playing at all. Her willingness to surrender everything to follow him to stop Codex. Almost getting blown up by a hellfire missile. Spending time with her to see the solar eclipse where he can just be himself. He regrets not kissing her when he had the chance, but that may have blown the entire op. No matter how much he wanted her in that moment, Matty and the team would have been pissed. Riley deserves more than having their first kiss be an undercover assignment. 

He’s never had someone believe in him, who can keep up with his brain, and knows how to handle him in a crisis. Jack was close, but Riley is a whole another level altogether. She is the very definition of ride or die.

He’s surprised that he didn’t see it sooner - how deeply she means to him, how much she gets him, and how much he loves her. There’s always been a flirtatious undercurrent between them, leaving him wanting more - like when they went to the French chateau with Bozer and Leanna to hunt down Mitrovic through his son’s honeymoon, and she just had to be all sexy whispering “you’ll see” as she slid past him when he asked how she was going to turn the situation around - but for some reason, he didn’t piece together until now that everything about his relationship with Riley is what he’s been looking for.

He hopes and prays he’s not too late to tell her how much he loves her. It’s not just that he loves her, he’s in love with her, and that revelation just gut punches him.

He feels like he’s just solved one of those impossible math problems but in his own life. He’s been looking for someone to love with his whole heart, not realizing that she’s been right in front of him for more than half a decade. The idea that he may never get the chance to tell her how much she means to him shakes him to his core.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the hospital, the team waits for news about Riley and her injuries. Mac makes an important decision.

With this revelation about how he feels about Riley, Mac knows he must put an end to this relationship with Desi. It’s not fair or healthy for either of them to continue in a relationship that seems to only work when the world is on fire. She’s a good person, great at her job, but they just aren’t the right fit for each other. Maybe then they can fix what’s broken between them.

—

While Mac’s lost in thought, Matty and the rest of the team join him in the waiting room.

“How’s she doing?” Matty asks. 

“I don’t know. No one has come out to let me know what’s going on. They wheeled her into emergency surgery and I’ve been waiting here since.”

I’ll go check with the nurse to see if she can get us an update.”

“Thanks Matty.”

—

While Matty is checking with the nurse, Desi comes over and sits next to him. 

“Mac, can we talk?”

Closing his eyes and sighing, he says, “Yes, let’s go grab some of that truly awful hospital coffee and talk.”

They both get up and start walking towards the hospital cafeteria. 

“I think we should break up for good,” they both said at the same time. 

“You’re okay with us breaking up?” Mac asked feeling relieved that they are finally on the same page about something.

“Yes. I finally realized that as much as we’ve tried to make it work, we aren’t the right fit for each other. We haven’t resolved our trust issues and we don’t like the same activities. While it’s fun when the adrenaline is pumping, it’s not something we can build a life on together. We’ve tried multiple times only to hit the same wall that broke us the first time we tried. We simply are two very different, stubborn, passionate people who clung onto the feeling we had when we are fighting for our lives thinking that was enough instead of taking the time to deal with our own issues. It’s almost destroyed this team and has definitely damaged it, which risks the lives of everyone involved, not just ours. Besides, it’s become much more apparent that I am not the one who holds your heart. Riley is. I’m not mad. I feel like I should be jealous, but I’m not. I’m disappointed that we let this go on for so long, and I want to get to a place where I can like myself and the person I’m in relationship with. That was missing in our relationship. We brought out the worst in each other Mac, but now I’m ready to now just be co-workers and maybe even friends. Who knows, maybe this is what our relationship needs in order to heal. I’m sorry for my part in this mess and for not trusting you and your methods.”

Surprised by Desi’s admission, Mac replies, “Thanks Desi. That means a lot to me. You’re right. We are toxic together. We like different things and outside of the adrenaline rush our job offers, we only seemed to drive each other nuts. How did you know about my feelings for Riley?”

“It’s written all over your face Mac. You light up around her. It’s like you can set the weight of the world aside for a few moments when you are with her. Every interaction you have with her is so much happier and lighter than what we experienced together. We both deserve to be in a relationship like the one you have with Riley. You two get each other and have this deep trust and faith in each other that is really rare. Cherish it for as long as you can. You never know what can happen, especially in our line of work.”

When they return from getting their coffee, the doctor is talking with Matty in hushed tones. It looks serious.

“How is she doing?” Mac asks. 

The doctor turns to him and says, “Miss Davis sustained a gunshot wound to her shoulder. It nicked her Subclavian artery which is why she lost so much blood so quickly. Whoever cauterized her wound saved her life. The surgery took longer than we anticipated. Miss Davis had a poor reaction to one of the anesthetics we gave her. Due to the trauma of the gunshot wound and her reaction to the anesthetic, we’ve placed Riley in a medically induced coma to help her body heal. She is still in critical condition with the next 24-48 hours being critical to her survival. We can’t let anyone visit her right now until she stabilizes. I know it’s not what you wanted to hear right now, but the only thing to do now is wait and pray that Riley’s body will begin to heal itself and recover from this trauma.”

Mac’s knees buckle and his face crumples as he hears the news about Riley. A strangled sob slips out from his lips, exposing the pain hearing the news brings him. “She has to pull through this. She has to.” He thinks to himself. He can’t survive another loss of someone he loves. 

Bozer comes over and pulls him into a hug, letting Mac release all of his bottled-up grief. He grips Bozer tightly as he sobs. “She’s a fighter, Mac. She’d never willingly give up without doing everything she had to come back to us. She’s got too many things to do and so many words to say to you Mac. Words you need to hear. Don’t give up on her just yet.”

Mac head snaps up sharply at Bozer’s words. “What do you mean she has words to say to me? Words I need to hear? I have so much I want to say to Riley, and it’s killing me not knowing if I will get that chance. She took a bullet for me, Bozer. Murdoc shot at me and hit Riley instead. It’s my fault that she’s in that medically induced coma.”

“Hold on there Mac. You are not responsible for Riley’s injuries. Murdoc is. You cauterized the wound saving her life. You have to know that as much as you are willing to do everything you can to protect this team, we all would do the same for you - Riley included. She loves you, man. Can’t you see that? As devastated as you are feeling right now, Riley would feel the exact say way if the roles were reversed. You two are not that much different in that way. Your ability to risk everything and sacrifice for the greater good has achieved extraordinary results for this nation and the world. Don’t let the weight of your pain taint your soul, Mac. You can’t fix everything. Some things that break don’t need fixing, they need to be tossed out. Others are worth mending. Whether it’s with that old lamp in your office that refuses to work or an unhealthy relationship, it’s up to you to determine what is worth fixing and what is meant to be tossed out. Everyone has their breaking point - even you. I know having Riley get hurt has wrecked you, but don’t lose hope. While it’s not my place to share specifics about what Riley wants to say to you, know that she cares about you and her heart is in the right place.”

Mac latches onto Bozer’s words, ‘she loves you man’ and starts mulling it over in his head. “What does he mean by that? That she loves me? Does Riley love me as a friend, sibling, or co-worker? Or... could it be something deeper?” 

Matty interrupts his thoughts by saying, “Blondie, go home. Get cleaned up, and maybe rest for a bit. You’re a mess. Go shower, put on some fresh clothes, and take a nap. I know you want to stay here till Riley wakes up, but there is nothing you can do right now but worry and be incredibly uncomfortable. Take care of yourself so that when Riley wakes up you are ready and waiting for her. That’s an order.”

Mac starts to argue with her, but the adrenaline he’s been operating on is crashing hard. “Yes, boss. Can you please place a couple of guards outside Riley’s door? Murdock is still in the wind and who knows if he will come back to try and finish the job,” Mac asks. Matty confirms that she already has assigned Desi and a few more of her best security agents to stand guard while Riley is in the hospital. 

Breathing a sigh of relief, he gets up to head out to his truck so he can go home. No home isn’t the right word - his house. Home is wherever Riley is. 

Bozer stops him on his way out and tells Mac, he’ll drive him home. They both can rest and get cleaned up from this god-awful day and return in the morning.

When they get to the house, Mac groans. He’s tired. His bones ache from all of the mental and physical energy he’s exerted today. He hops in the shower so he can clean himself off from all the dirt, grime and dried blood that’s caked on his skin. He turns the water extra hot as he vigorously scrubs every inch of his body. Watching Riley’s blood wash down the drain reminds him again of how much he’s lost in such a short time. While he’s glad he was able to give her a fighting chance when he cauterized the wound, the sense of dread that still clung to the pit of his stomach had not lessened. 

“Don’t you dare leave me, Riley Davis. You promised me that I wouldn’t die alone. If you’re gone, then there is no one left. Jack’s gone. The rest of the team doesn’t understand or trust me like you do. I love you so much. So much that it terrifies me at the thought of losing you, especially knowing that being together would make me, and hopefully you too, so very happy. That we could be that place of home for each other, through thick and thin, when no one and nothing else in the world makes sense. You are it for me, Riley Davis. Please come back to me.”

Mac towels off before tossing himself on to his bed to try and catch a few hours of shut-eye, but his brain won’t shut off. It keeps replaying Riley getting shot over and over again. Each time he fails, she dies in his arms. He gets up and goes into Riley’s old room. He thinks he remembers seeing Riley wearing one of his old MIT sweatshirts and that she left it in her room after she moved out. 

Looking around the room, it makes him sad. The room is functional with its bed and dresser, but it’s missing the personality and homeyness that Riley gave it. He picks up the pillow and brings it to his nose. Her scent still lingers on it. Jasmine, vanilla, and a bit of floral musky undertones that remind him of home - of Riley. He goes to the closet and finds his MIT sweatshirt. It too has Riley’s scent infused in it.

He takes both the pillow and the sweatshirt back into his room. He pulls the sweatshirt over his head so he feels wrapped up in Riley’s scent, and lays back down on the bed, hugging her pillow tightly as he drifts off to sleep.

Bozer wakes him up the next morning letting him know that Riley has been cleared to start receiving visitors in an hour. Energized at the thought of being able to see her and sit with Riley gets him moving in high gear.

They arrive five minutes before visiting hours. Two guards are stationed outside her door. The doctor gives the team an update. Riley’s progressing well and should be waking up from her coma in the next 12 to 24 hours. They are welcome to take turns sitting with her, but only one person can be there at a time. Matty tells Mac that he should go first.

He’s relieved he can actually see her for the first time since they brought her in last night. When he walks into the hospital room, he’s struck by how quiet and still everything is. Riley has that hospital pallor with dark circles under her eyes. He pays attention closely watching her breathe. He walks up to her bedside, leans over and kisses her forehead.

Taking her small hand in his, he starts talking. “Keep breathing Riles. I need you to get better. We promised each other that we wouldn’t die alone. I’m holding you to that promise. There is so much I have to say to you. I love you. I love you more than I thought I could love another human being. Forgive me for being so blind to it for so many years. For seeking the feeling of safety and connection in unhealthy relationships for fear of being alone. You’ve been my rock, my confidante, my best friend, the voice of reason in unreasonable circumstances. I love everything about you. Your love of science, learning new things, your heart, your desire to make a difference in the world, your smile, your ride or die attitude no matter what the cost, your sense of style and the confidence that oozes out of you. It’s so damn sexy.”

—

Riley hears a voice in the distance. She’s not 100% sure who’s talking, maybe Mac but she can’t really tell for sure. She feels this strong connection and desire to get closer so she can hear more clearly what the voice is saying. Her mind is a bit muddled as she tries to piece together what’s going on. She hears beeping and tries to move to no avail. It’s like she has the 200-pound weighted blanket covering her and she can’t seem to get it to budge.

She tries to remember what happened prior to feeling like this. They were tracking Murdock, she thinks. She saw the red dot on Mac’s chest and panicked. In her effort to save his life, she must have caught the bullet instead. Everything after that is a blur. She thinks she may have heard Mac tell her that he loves her, but that must just be wishful thinking on her part. Mac’s with Desi. No matter how much that breaks her heart, at the end of the day, she just wants him to be happy.

The pull of the pain medication lulls her back to sleep.

She fades in and out of consciousness for the rest of the day. Each time getting a little closer to waking up. She notices different energies of the people who visit with her. She can’t quite grasp, who’s who, but she would bet a months salary that Mac’s been with her the most. He always makes her feel so safe, so cared for, even when he doesn’t mean to do it.

—

Riley’s mom, Diane, arrived that evening, having flown in from Vancouver. Frantically she rushed to the nurses' desk demanding to see her daughter and to find out what happened. They instructed her to go to room 139 where she could see her daughter. A doctor would meet her there shortly.

Matty sees Diane coming and intercepts her before she can get into see Riley. 

“Diane. I’m so glad you could make it. Let me go get the doctor for you so you can get the latest info about Riley’s condition.”

Diane sharply asks, “Matilda, what happened to my daughter?”

“Your daughter was on an assignment helping us recapture a psychopath who’s been on a mission for the last 7 years to destroy MacGyver and our team. He took a shot at MacGyver and ended up missing, hitting Riley instead. I’ll let the doctor give you the rest of the medical details and how she’s progressing.”

Diane walks over to room 139 and notices two bodyguards standing watch. She’s feeling uneasy that her daughter requires protection, and stops cold when she sees Riley. She’s never seen her baby so pale. MacGyver is sitting with her, holding her hand and talking in fervent, hushed tones. She’s known the two have always been close, but Mac seems different than she remembers him to be. She goes over and lays a hand on his shoulder, startling him. He apologizes for his reaction and offers to give her some alone time with Riley since they still are only allowed one visitor at a time.

She thanks him and turns back to face her beautiful baby girl. Riley is still in the coma, but doctors are optimistic that she should start to wake up at any time. She looks at all the wires and monitors that they have Riley hooked up to, and chokes back a sob. This is what she was afraid would happen when they brought her into the loop about what Riley and the rest of the team really do at the think tank. The thought of losing Riley overwhelms Diane. She really wishes Jack were here so she could give him a piece of her mind for dragging her baby girl into this life.

The doctor comes in and fills her in on the status of her daughter’s health. They repaired the damage done by the bullet that hit Riley in her left shoulder. Due to some complications that included a bad reaction to one of the anaesthetics, she’s been in a medically induced coma for 18 hours. They expect she will wake up in the next 12 to 24 hours.

Crying softly as she picks up her daughter’s hand, it hits her how dangerous this job really is. 

Now all she and the rest of the team can do is wait until Riley wakes up. It’s all up to Riley now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley wakes up. Diane and Matty have a little heart to heart about our favorite couple.

Early the next morning, Riley’s eyes flu'tter open as she slowly begins to wake up from her medically induced coma. 

Her eyes land on a very tired MacGyver, who’s hunched over, fiddling with another one of his paper clips. She can’t tell from her angle what he’s making, but she knows how much using his hands helps calm his mind. Unsure of how long she’s been out and how severe her injury was, she starts to try and assess the damage the bullet did to her body. 

Her slight movements cause Mac to pause his work on the paperclip and look straight at her.

Relief floods him as he sees she’s finally awake. 

“What are you staring at Mac?” Riley asks, as her voice cracks from disuse.

“You, beautiful. You’re awake. You have no idea how worried I’ve, I mean we all, have been for you. I knew you wouldn’t give up.” Mac said, grinning at the sight of her beautiful brown eyes awake, even if they aren’t completely alert yet.

Blushing at his compliment, she responds, “Nope. Too much still to do before I’m done on this earth. Did we at least catch Murdoc?”

Dropping his head in shame, Mac replies, “No. I’m so sorry Riles. He got away. Nothing else mattered once I saw you fall down after taking that bullet meant for me to your left shoulder.

Let me go get your mom and the doctor. I know they are dying to see you.”

Mac walks out to the waiting room looking for Diane. She’s with the rest of the team talking quietly. He comes over and rests a hand on her shoulder before saying, “She’s awake. Diane you can go see her. The doctor is on his way to her room right now.”

Jumping up she exclaimed, “Thank God! I’m coming baby girl.”

Mac turned to the rest of the group who were eagerly awaiting the news about Riley waking up.

“How is she really doing Mac?” Matty asks.

“Her vitals looked promising and she’s in good spirits. A bit groggy, but she’s still got that sass we all know and love.” His shoulders slump forward as he says, “She wanted to know if we got Murdoc. I told her we are still working on it.”

“Don’t worry, Blondie. I’ve still got Phoenix agents looking for him, but without Riley, he’s so much harder to track. We will get him and make him pay for what he’s done to Riley, and to this whole team over the last 7 years.”

Riley watches as her mom eagerly rushes into her hospital room. She’s grateful to see her but isn’t looking forward to this next bit of conversation.

“Riley, baby, you had me so worried! You have no idea how hard it was to get the news that something happened to your only child, knowing there is nothing you can do about it but wait and see, hoping that you’d survive. I would give almost anything right now to talk to Jack and give him a piece of my mind. I told him dragging you into this life was a bad idea. How are you feeling?”

“I’m sorry to worry you, mom. I know it’s not the life you want for me, but it’s not Jack’s fault. I chose to do this. To spend my life in service to my country and the family I’ve found at the Phoenix along the way. Nothing could stop me from the work I am doing. Not even you, mom. Not Murdoc, the psychopath who shot me. Nothing. In spite of this setback, I know this is where I’m supposed to be. I love the work, my friends, and the chance to use my skills to make a difference in the world. I’m still really tired, sore, and a bit confused by what’s happening. I remember getting shot, but everything after that was a blur.”

The doctor - a Dr. Jason Michaels - steps into Riley’s room and lets her know he can fill her in on what’s happened since she arrived in the ER two days ago.

Surprised to learn she’d been in the hospital for 2 days she asks Dr. Michael’s to explain what’s happened to her.

“Miss Davis, You arrived here almost 72 hours ago with a gunshot wound to your left shoulder. The gunshot nicked your subclavian artery, which resulted in you suffering from a higher-than-normal amount of blood loss. Fortunately for you, your wound was cauterized quickly enough to allow you to make it to us so we could repair the damage the bullet did to your shoulder. While we were operating on you, you had an allergic reaction to one of the anaesthetics you received, so we had to put you into a medically induced coma to finish up your surgery and help your body heal from the trauma it suffered from. You’ve been in the coma for a little more than 48 hours. Now that you’re awake, can you tell me how you’re feeling?”

“Groggy, stiff, really sore on the left side of my body, like a Mac truck steamrolled over me. My left arm feels a bit numb. Is that normal?”

“Yes. The trauma plus the medication is what’s causing your left arm to feel a bit numb. It should wear off over the next 12-24 hours. If it doesn't, let me know and we’ll take another look and figure out what’s going on. You will be transferred to another room shortly into our orthopaedic wing now that we know you are no longer in immediate danger. Our orthopaedic surgeon – Dr. Samantha Craig I believe - will be monitoring your progress and help you get a plan together to start healing from the physical trauma the bullet caused. Good luck with your recovery.”

“Thanks Dr. Michaels. Mom, can you go get Mac and bring him here? I need to talk to him.”

“Sure baby. I’ll be right back.”

Diane steps out of Riley’s room, heading back to the waiting room to get MacGyver for her daughter. Everyone is anxiously awaiting news about Riley. Diane fills them in on the details, letting them know the doctor is feeling much more optimistic about Riley’s full recovery.

Everyone breathes a huge sigh of relief, knowing they haven’t lost their favorite hacker, friend and teammate. Mac, placing his face in his hands, lets the tension he’s been holding in his body relax a bit, grateful that Riley appears to be on the mend. He still feels a little bit responsible for what happened, but mostly he’s so happy that she’s going to pull through this injury.

“MacGyver, Riley’s asking to see you,” Diane gently tells him.

Jumping up at the news, he quickly makes his way to Riley.

Diane turns to Matty and asks, “so how long has Mr. MacGyver been in love with my daughter?”

Surprised at Diane’s question, Matty responds, “Much longer than he’d probably admit to himself, I’d imagine. They’ve danced around each other for the entire 7 years I’ve known them, but the timing never seemed right. Neither one of them was really ever single at the same time. 

Then, when Jack left for his special assignment and he sent Desi to replace him, it created a whole new dynamic between Mac and Riley. Mac and Desi have unsuccessfully dated on and off for the last few years, which has created its own set of challenges for our team. I love both of them like the kids I never had, but they don’t do themselves or the team any favors when they bring their drama with them to work. While I can’t force them to not be in a relationship, it’s made me be extra careful in how I choose to assign responsibilities on the team. Not that you really need to know all about that Diane.

In spite of it all though, Riley and Mac have remained close, maybe even closer than they’d like to admit to themselves. I suspect if Desi hadn’t come into the picture, they may have already gotten together. They are both really protective of each other and have this absolute trust in each other, even when it doesn’t make sense. Who knows, maybe this injury will finally be the catalyst to the two of them waking up, talking about their feelings and admitting how much they love each other.”

Surprised at Matty’s response, Diane asked, “so you think my Riley has feelings for Mr. MacGyver?”

“Of that, I have no doubt. They’ve always been friendly, maybe even best friends, and a little bit flirty in their relationship, but things changed a couple of years ago when Riley broke up with her then-boyfriend Billy. Mac was the one who comforted her, and they seemed to really bond after that. Granted not long after, the think tank closed down for a couple of years - government restructuring - opening up the door for the mess of a relationship that Mac has been locked in with Desi. Bozer had the right idea when he called them Mesi. They really are a bit of a mess together. But what can you do? They are grown-ass adults capable of making their own decisions. 

Personally I think Mac’s been too scared to admit to himself and deal with his feelings for Riley because he’s lost a lot of people he loved in the last few years - including his father. The thought of risking his friendship with your daughter and losing it if they weren’t able to make it work keeps him stuck in this off again on again relationship with Desi because he doesn’t want to be alone. He wasn’t willing to risk destroying his friendship with Riley on the chance that they could be more than friends in case it didn’t work out. That may be changing. Only time will tell.

Riley’s feelings appear to be growing steadily stronger of late, but I’ve noticed how she’s been more withdrawn from the team, especially when Blondie’s there. It appears that she doesn’t want to get in between Mac and Desi, but I can tell it affects her heart seeing them together. She’s taken on more tech work on the side to help keep herself occupied at nights. She’s less flirty with him and has taken a more behind the scenes role of late in our team assignments. This assignment with Murdoc was the first time she’s been partnered in the field with Mac in months. They used to partner up almost exclusively prior to the Phoenix shutdown. I don’t know if she told you, but she lived with Mac for almost a year, but then once the pandemic restrictions lifted, she quickly got her own place again. I can’t imagine it was easy for her to remain there having a front-row seat to the drama and volatility that has marked Mac and Desi’s romantic relationship.”

Mulling over what Matty told her, Diane was curious to find out more from her daughter about what exactly her feelings are towards her blonde co-worker and best friend.

“So if they do decide to get into a romantic relationship, how do that affect their work at the Phoenix?”

“They would have to report it to HR, but as long as it doesn’t impact the quality of their work, I see no reason that they couldn’t remain working together in the future. The depth of the trust they have in each other and their ability to help each other focus and get out of tough situations are all strong reasons for keeping them together on the same team at the Phoenix.” 

—

Mac hurried into Riley’s room eager to see the woman he loved. The dread that had been trapped in the pit of his stomach had lessened, but still hadn’t completely disappeared.

“Hi,” She says.

“Hey. You’re looking better than when I saw you last. How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been shot and ran over by a Mac truck - no pun intended,” she says smiling slightly at him.

“Well, you look beautiful regardless. I’m sorry we haven’t been able to recapture Murdoc while you were recovering. It seems like you are an even more vital member of this team than you may have realized.”

“Aww. Look at you, trying to flatter my ego with your sweet talk. I know Murdoc is slippery and we’ve struggled with him in the past. Don’t fault yourself that he’s still at large. We’ll get him. I have no doubt. 

Riley watches Mac noting something seems different than before she got shot. He’s lighter, more present and engaged with her, like he used to be before Desi. Are you sure you doing okay Mac? You seem different.”

His eyes widened at her question. He’s not used to her reading him quite so well. Well, that’s not completely true. Her ability to read him and know just what to say is one of the reasons he loves her.

“Almost losing you wrecked me, Riles. I was so scared. It was worse than losing my dad or when we were facing down that hellfire missile. You were dying, and outside of cauterizing your wound, I didn’t know what to do. I felt so helpless and lost. The whole world shrunk until it was just you and me. Nothing else mattered. Not Murdoc. Not the team. Not the mission, only you. The thought of losing you, the woman I love, paralyzed me.

Right before you passed out, you whispered you loved me and told me to never forget it. That image of you has been burned into my brain, torturing me in the best and worst possible ways. I was so afraid that I’d never get the chance to tell you how much you mean to me. I love you, Riley Davis. I love everything about you. Your smile. Your sense of humor. Your love of science. Your heart. You are such a confident badass, both in front of and behind a computer. It’s so damn sexy to watch. I am so grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me, even when I don’t feel like I deserved it.”

Blushing at Mac’s words, Riley replies, “Wait, Mac! Are you serious? You really love me? What about Desi? You’ve been in a relationship with her off and on for more than 2 years.” 

“Yes, I love you. I’ve loved you since we first met, and I used a paperclip to unlock your handcuffs and dragged you into this life. 

Falling in love with you was a slow burn for me, built over time on mutual respect, friendship, shared interests, trust and our special brand of crazy,” he grinned. 

“When you got shot, it’s like everything I’d been avoiding about how I feel for you rushed to the surface and crystallized in my mind. I panicked, thinking there was a very good chance I would never get to tell you how much you mean to me. How much your willingness to do whatever it takes, even if it means possible treason by following me into Codex to make sure that I didn’t turn into the monster the rest of the team thought I had become.

Your love helped me stay grounded and not lose myself to Codex. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t tempted. So much pain had preceded my decision to try and turn my aunt Gwen. If you hadn’t shown up, I’m not sure I would have been strong enough to follow through on dismantling them and their nuclear device or stopping that hellfire missile The Phoenix launched at us.

While I was waiting for the ambulance to arrive to pick you up, I realized that while I care deeply about Desi, we only worked when things were really bad. We don’t really trust each other. While I’ve apologized multiple times to her, we never seemed to be able to get past each other’s betrayal in how we dealt with Codex. We don’t like the same things and our personalities clash badly outside of work. I stayed with her because I thought it was better than being alone. After so much loss in the last few years - Charlie, my dad, my aunt, Lasky, even my mom again - I just wanted to belong to someone, even if it wasn't good for me. It felt so untethered from reality and I didn't want to drag you into my mess. You were the last remaining bright spot in my life, and I was so afraid that if I went for it, I'd taint you too," he finished with a whisper, broken by the vulnerability he was sharing with the woman he loved.

Empathy flooded through Riley hearing Mac talk about his pain, his loneliness and his fear. She understood his feelings because on some level they were hers as well. She picked up one of his hands, giving it a tight squeeze, indicating he should continue.

He continues, "I couldn’t be myself with Desi the way I am with you. You bring out the best in me Riles. You always have. That’s when I knew I couldn’t continue to do this to Desi or myself. We both deserve better. Apparently, she came to the same conclusion. We mutually decided to end our relationship the day you arrived at the hospital. Maybe it will help us, and the team find a bit better footing and rebuild the broken trust that’s been festering for the last year.”

Riley is amazed to hear the words pouring out of Mac. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that he’d felt the same way about her, as she did about him. Had she dreamt that he loved her? Of course. But dreaming about something is different than experiencing it personally. Yes, they’d flirt and worked well in the field. They enjoyed doing the same kinds of things. They trusted each other implicitly. They stuck together through thick and thin. But, until now, it all just seemed so innocuous. 

“Wow. Mac, look at me." When she gets his attention and he's looking her in the eye, she says, "Thank you for sharing that with me. Thank you for saving my life, literally and metaphorically. I have a confession to make as well. I love you too. So very much. I’ve been dreaming of hearing you tell me you loved me for a very long time. I wasn’t sure I would ever get the chance to hear it. 

You captured my mind when you did your paperclip thing when we first met," She says, smiling softly. "But you captured my heart with a million little things, like promising to make me matches so we could burn things when I broke up with Billy, letting me know I wasn’t alone, and saving me from cyanide poisoning. When we were in Germany, and I was so sure that we were going to die at the hands of that WWII bomb, it hit me. I loved you. Not just as a friend or co-worker. Not as a sibling – never as a sibling," she says scrunching up her face at the thought. "We may share Jack as a surrogate father at times, but I have never seen you as my brother. You were always this good-looking enigma. This possibility of more, that I was too scared to put myself out there for, because I didn’t want to ruin the best relationship and workplace, I’d ever been a part of. It was more than me liking to spend time with you or thinking you’re handsome, although both of those things are true. I love you with every fibre of my being and that realization scared me a bit." 

She continues, "I was in a relationship with Aubrey when I realized I loved you. I tried to tell myself that he would be enough. Maybe he would have been if we never got the Phoenix back together. But once we started back, I knew it was only a matter of time before my relationship with him imploded. 

Granted I didn’t think it would take a double date with you and Desi to trigger said implosion, but knowing us and this team, I should have seen this coming. Then you and Desi got back together when you kissed her on the soccer field in Milan, and my heart broke into tiny little pieces. While I wanted you to be happy, knowing it wasn’t with me, hurt.”

Frowning at her sharing that he caused her pain with Desi, he said, “I’m sorry I hurt you, Riley. I didn’t mean to. I fell back into the familiar with Desi because you were in a relationship and seemed to be happy and I was afraid of being alone. As jealous as Aubrey made me feel, I wanted you to be happy. Doing what we do comes at great personal cost. I didn’t want to try and find someone new to begin a relationship with outside of the Phoenix because you know what happens. It’s the Phoenix curse. So, trying to make it work with Desi seemed like a better option than being alone. The problem being that instead of us making real progress, I just started giving into what she wanted just to keep the peace. While we may have been in a relationship and on some level, I do believe I loved Desi, but I wasn’t ever in love with her."

He reaches for her hand, raising it to his lips and kisses the back of it. "It's you, Riley Davis. Always you. Only you. My heart is yours, always."

Blushing at the gesture, Riley responds, "My heart is yours as well Mac. Promise me that no matter what happens, we will still find a way to remain friends with each other. I can't bear the thought of losing my best friend."

"I promise, Riles. I will always be your friend, no matter what."

Grinning at his declaration, she raises her good arm and blows him a kiss. He catches it and brings it to his heart, making her melt that much more.

He stands up and walks over to her bringing his face next to hers. "I love you so much," as he leans forward brushing a featherlight kiss to her lips. 

Humming her pleasure she says, "I love you too. As much as I want more with you Mac, let's take this slowly. You're just getting out of an unhealthy relationship with Desi. I want us to last, not just me being a rebound because you don't want to be alone. I know that's not your intent, but in order to not repeat the past, I need you to promise me you will take some time to get help and properly deal with your emotional trauma and I will do the same.” He groans at her request and nods his agreement. "I'm not going anywhere. We are friends first and foremost. I look forward to continuing to spend time together. Let's keep focusing on that right now, not so much on the romantic stuff just yet. I still have this bullet hole from Murdoc to recover from you know."

"We can still spend time together, right?"

"Absolutely. Netflix won't watch itself. Just cool your jets on any physical activity for now. Let's enjoy each other's company, process our emotional crap together, and build a foundation that can last us a lifetime."

Grinning, he leans over and kisses her cheek. "Absolutely. Can I still kiss you?"

"Keep it PG MacGyver," she quipped. "Who knows what prying eyes are watching? Hi, Bozer."

Mac whirls around surprised to see his best friend standing in the doorway, grinning like an idiot. 

"Thank God. It's about time you too figured this out. I swear if Murdoc hadn't shot you, Riley, I was going to have to cook up something myself to get you two to finally clear the air and talk about your feelings. Do you know how hard it has been for me, as his best friend - pointing at Mac - and as your friend, to not intervene by locking you in a room until you worked out your issues?"

Surprise hits Mac as he realizes that his best friend knew how both he and Riley were feeling about each other. "You knew about our feelings?"

Rolling his eyes at Mac's question, Bozer responds, "Of course I knew. Almost anyone with two eyes knew there was something underneath the surface between the two of you. I'd bet money that Murdoc knows how you feel. Others may not have said anything about it, but you both light up around each other. It's like you've found your home in each other. Mac, I was so puzzled that you and Desi kept going round and round on that toxic merry-go-round, never really making any real progress in your relationship. It's like you were unintentionally punishing yourself and by extension Riley, because you couldn't fix your relationship with Desi. Don't get me wrong. I like Desi. I just don't like her with you. Not every relationship needs to be fixed Mac. Some relationships are broken and need to be cut off for the health of both parties involved. It doesn't mean you failed. It just means you weren't the right fit for each other."

Riley tries to hold back a grin as she listens to Bozer finally share some truth tea about this whole relational mess Mac has had with Desi. He's not wrong. While she is surprised that Bozer knew about Mac's feelings toward her, and didn't say anything, she's grateful for it because it shows how much he cares for both of them. He could have very easily been that annoying friend who tries to force her and Mac to deal with their unrequited feelings for each other.

The nurse comes in and informs Riley its time to check her vitals and move her up to her new room.

The boys give her a moment with the nurse to get all checked out and let the rest of the team know that Riley is well enough to be moved to the orthopaedic wing of the hospital.

Diane returns to Riley's room just as the nurse finishes up her checklist.

"How's my baby doing?"

"Your daughter is doing remarkably well given all that she's endured over the last few days. We are prepping to move her to Room 420 so that Dr. Craig can monitor her recovery."

Mac overhears the room number and lets the rest of the team know that Riley's stable enough to be moved out of the ER. They all breathe a huge sigh of relief at the news.

Now that she knows Riley is going to pull through, Matty informs Mac that she and the rest of the team are heading back to the Phoenix to check on the status of the manhunt for and get back to work.

"Tell our girl to rest. Now's not the time to play hero. Same goes for you MacGyver. Don't forget to take care of yourself during this time. I expect to see you in the office on Monday ready for whatever the next assignment is."

"Yes, Matty. I will."

Mac let Riley know the team was heading out, but that they would be back to check on her for as long as she remained in the hospital. Seeing how tired Mac was, Riley sent him home to catch up on his sleep. "You're no good to me dead on your feet Mac. While it's sweet that you want to stay with me, I want you to go get some rest. You can come back in the morning. Now shoo or I'll call Matty to send someone down here to make you."

Raising his eyebrow at Riley's threat, he holds up his hands in surrender, promising to head home and get some shut eye. 

When he gets home, he grabs his MIT sweater and her pillow. Curling up on his bed and he drifts off to sleep, feeling better knowing that Riley loves him and is going to make it.


End file.
